The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published the first part of its Sixth Assessment report, a comprehensive review of the climate crisis and how human actions are altering the planet.
This report, the first of four that make up the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, looks at the physical science behind climate change and its impacts. It makes clear greenhouse gas emissions are responsible, not only for the increase in average temperature, but in a range of changes, from loss of glaciers and ice sheets to increases in climate extremes such as heat waves and heavy rainfall.
The report also shows it is not too late to change the trajectory we are on. Future emissions will determine how much the world will warm. We can still limit warming to well below 2 and potentially even 1.5 degrees. This will only happen if we take determined and comprehensive actions now to rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.
The Ministry for the Environment and wider-Government, will be exploring the findings of the report to ensure that the actions we take are contributing to the global effort to tackle climate change. Keep an eye on our channels and website over the coming weeks for more information following on from the release of the report.